Kiku
by OdangoHead
Summary: Shuichi says something one day that would definitely change both his & Yuki's lives forever. The story of "Kiku"...
1. Chapter 1

I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that day. Shuichi. Shindou Shuichi, the lovable, hyperactive & popular, Mega-Idol. The charismatic lead singer of the rock band, Bad Luck... I could hardly believe what I was hearing... I thought it was a joke... a bad joke... well, it wasn't.  
  
*~*  
  
"Yuki! I have a great idea!"  
  
"Good. Why don't you tell it to your friends? People that actually like you."  
  
"But I have to tell you!"  
  
"But *I* don't care. Your 'great' ideas are never any good. You're not very creative, Shuichi. Face it."  
  
"This isn't something you need to be creative with. It's just something you have to love & care about."  
  
I gave him a sceptical look. "Me? Loving? Caring? We've been living together for 2 years... do you know me AT ALL?"  
  
"2 years, 5 months & 23 days!" He announced triumphantly, as if it were a question on that 'Quiz Depot' show he's always on or something like that. "That's exactly it, though! My idea-!"  
  
"THAT is your idea? That's not even an idea! It's a statement! That *I* said. Your 'idea' was that we've been living together for 2 years, 5 months & 23 days?" My mind was spinning just trying to grip what his could possibly be thinking. Shuichi should go back to school & learn his vocabulary all over again. In fact, he should go back & learn how to think all over again, preferably like a normal human being... but a rock would do just as well... if he thought like a rock at least he would be more intelligent... & a lot quieter too.  
  
"No. Yuki, I think we should have a baby!"  
  
I smacked the back of his head. "Baka. Have you noticed something a little... different... about our relationship? We can't have a baby... we're missing the most important part."  
  
"Love?"  
  
"A woman, you Dumb-ass!" I shouted at him lit a cigarette. As it sat loosely between my lips I looked back over at Shuichi. "Love?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"You guessed 'Love'? Didn't you ever pay attention in health class? Love has nothing to do with it in some cases... people who don't love each other can still have a little brat."  
  
"But they can't raise it without love."  
  
"And you guessed 'Love' as what was missing in our relationship?" I guess I'll admit it now I was a little insulted. "I said I wasn't 'Loving' that doesn't mean I don't love."  
  
"Do you love me?"  
  
I glared at him. "Baka." But my mouth twitched up at one corner & Shuichi once again, grinned like an idiot in his usual way. He knew my real answer anyway. "So what was your REAL idea?"  
  
"Yuki, I think we should adopt a baby."  
  
The ashes fell from my cigarette & onto my expensive pants, but I didn't even bother trying to brush them off. He was SERIOUS? "Why?"  
  
"Wouldn't it be wonderful? Yuki? Don't you want to be a daddy?" Shuichi's eyes were sparkling.  
  
"No. Shuichi, have you even thought this through? A baby is work. Words & steps are just perks. Some of the FEW perks. They cry & pee & slobber all over everything... they're loud & annoying & YOU'RE enough work for me to take care of already."  
  
"NOW who's not thinking it through?" Shuichi looked up at me, with that determined, honest face that he rarely shows, just like that time in New York. "Yuki, I'm serious. I wouldn't mention it to you if I hadn't thought it through."  
  
"You're only 21."  
  
"So?"  
  
"You're famous. Why do this now. Why not wait a few years at least until you're actually ready to settle down & get out of your fast-track life?"  
  
"I'll give it up."  
  
"Yeah right. I've seen you at your post-tour parties. You live for those, you live for going on stage. You'll give it up for a baby? You can't be throwing wild parties & getting pissed drunk when you have a brat in the next room."  
  
"I know that. I know that babies are hard work, I know about diapers & 3 o'clock feedings & terrible 2's & all of that. But I also know that I DO want this, even including all that."  
  
"Wouldn't you be happier with a puppy? Puppies are annoying & yappy like you too."  
  
"Look, if you REALLY don't want this now... then alright. I'll understand. But tell me honestly, I've thought this through, I think maybe you should take some time & think it through as well." Shuichi got up & went to the kitchen.  
  
I was surprised. He really was serious. It was rare to ever see him like that. I thought hard about it, although I pretended to him that I didn't care & had forgotten about it... & about 2 & ½ weeks later I found Shuichi sleeping, curled up in bed, cuddling a lump of bunched up blanket in my absence since I had been writing all night again. "How long?"  
  
"Eh?" Shuichi woke up & looked up at me with his innocent violet eyes.  
  
"How long did you think about having a kid?"  
  
"I'm not sure. For a while..."  
  
"A few weeks? A couple of months?"  
  
"Hm... Probably about 6 or 7."  
  
"Weeks?"  
  
"Months." He said.  
  
"Months?!"  
  
"Yuki, you know what? It's ok. I know what you're going to say. I can wait. Its not the end of the world."  
  
"Shuichi. You're right." I looked at him. I could hardly believe what I was saying now. "Maybe... all of that annoying stuff is worth it."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"If you want a baby... then it's ok with me."  
  
"Do you mean it?"  
  
"But, I don't like 'daddy'. That little brat can call me Yuki. Or 'dad'. You can be called whatever the hell you like."  
  
"Yuki!" Shuichi burst up out of the bed & wrapped his arms tightly around me. "I love you Yuki!"  
  
"Yeah." I said.  
  
*~*  
  
So, after a few months of paperwork & all that legal stuff that I hate & Shuichi doesn't always understand, it finally happened. We adopted a baby. A boy named Kiku. And despite the crying & the stinking & all that stuff that babies do, he wasn't so bad. And once he got a bit older, the tantrums weren't so hard to deal with... after all, I was already used to Shuichi's tantrums.  
  
Shuichi didn't quit his career, but he took a few years off from touring. He didn't start getting really into it again until Kiku started school. Shuichi wasn't a bad daddy, I was afraid that he'd end up acting like that babysitter from hell that influences your kid in all the worst ways... but I got to see a new side to Shuichi since Kiku came along, a responsible side. Shuichi would always make sure that Kiku went to bed at the right time & he would make sure that Kiku always had his snack for school & that his library books were returned on-time, unharmed. It was actually quite amusing.  
  
Yep, you heard right. Library books. It seems the kid takes after me a bit after all. He likes reading, & writing too. His teachers always comment on how creative he is & how he reads & writes well beyond his grade level, obviously that doesn't come hanging out with Shuichi, who can't even write a decent song to save his life. I'm serious, K threatens him with his guns & the lyrics are still total crap.  
  
The teachers all love Kiku & he makes lots of friends too. School was something that worried me though. Even though Shuichi & I are famous, & our relationship is definitely no secret, I was afraid that Kiku's classmates would give him a hard time. Teachers too. So we used my family name, Uesugi, instead of Shindou or Yuki.  
  
*~*  
  
"I'm home!" Kiku dropped his bag beside his shoes & bounded over to my office door. "How's your work?"  
  
"Good. I'm almost done." I smiled. Kiku was easier to smile at. I guess it was just a dad type thing. I didn't guard my feelings like I did with Shuichi. "How was school?"  
  
"Meh. Not so bad. We got our report cards today."  
  
"How did you do? Let me see?"  
  
"Pretty good..."  
  
"What's this? A 75% in math?"  
  
"Yeah... I don't like math."  
  
"I don't blame you. I hate it too. I'll help you with it though, I did good in math in school."  
  
"Wasn't that 100 years ago?"  
  
"Hardly. You're a little brat just like Shuichi." I grinned.  
  
"You raised me!" Kiku laughed.  
  
"I'm not going to take responsibility for your disrespectful behaviour. That's Shuichi's fault."  
  
Kiku laughed more. "When is Papa getting home?"  
  
"Soon, I'm sure. He gets off work at 2 but they always keep him later. He'll probably be home in about 10 minutes or so. Why are you home so early?"  
  
"Early dismissal because of report cards."  
  
"Ah, I see."  
  
"Are you still happy with my report card?" He asked. If there were 2 ways that I found him to be the most like Shuichi, it was his energy & his fear of disappointing me or making me angry.  
  
"Of course. You're marks are all in the 90's. Who cares about math, anyway? You've got years to improve on that, you're only in gr.7."  
  
Kiku smiled brightly. "Thanks Dad." He hugged my neck. That kid liked hugging. "On Saturday, are you going to Papa's photo shoot for the magazine?"  
  
"I might stop by on his break or something."  
  
"Cuz, I was wondering if you think he'd let me go. I wanna see what it's like with all the lights & cameras."  
  
"He might. But Kiku, there might be a lot of press there. You know how Shuichi & I feel about them taking pictures of you."  
  
"Yeah. I'll ask him anyway. He might let me come because of my good report card!"  
  
*~*  
  
We'd had some trouble a little while back while Shuichi, Kiku & I were out shopping. Kiku was about 5 or 6 & until then we had managed to keep him basically out of the public eye & away from the press. We were mobbed my people & reporters & there were pictures of him in magazines with us & articles by interviewers that like prying into our personal lives. I guess after that we became a little more cautious about being in public all together. We didn't want them to start watching Kiku when he was older to see what sort of things he was doing & what he was into. That's not the world's business just cuz we're famous. Kiku doesn't seem to really mind; he understands what we're trying to do. His life is as normal as possible.  
  
Of course, it's hard to live 'normally' when you're surrounded by music's biggest names for most of your life. Once Kiku got older, Shuichi began having those wild parties again. He seemed to enjoy seeing his drunken Papa & drunken Uncle Ryuichi singing karaoke to English songs that they had never heard of. I always woke up with a killer headache the next morning... they were so much louder when they were drunk. And its like Shuichi & Ryuichi have their own language... Kiku learned it too. It's like he's bilingual; he speaks Japanese & Baka. Although, it's pretty interesting sometimes to just watch Shuichi & him together.  
  
*~*  
  
"Are you serious?!" Kiku squealed from the living room as I came in the door. I quietly took off my shoes & pushed them aside, shuffling the grocery bag in my arms & listening right around the corner from where he & Shuichi sat. What was Shuichi up to?  
  
"Yep. So would you like to do it? Would you be up to it?" Shuichi asked.  
  
"YES!"  
  
"Well, then let me talk to Yuki tonight about it & if he says its ok then we're good to go. Just understand that this isn't set in stone, he still might say no."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I might say no to what?" I came around the corner.  
  
"Yuki! Welcome home!" Shuichi gave me a great big hug & so did Kiku. They were definitely planning something I wouldn't approve of.  
  
I pried the two of them off me. "What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing!" Kiku said... then quickly left the room.  
  
Yeah right. "Shuichi?" I asked sternly.  
  
"Kiku's not a little kid anymore, I don't think we should worry about him being in the public eye anymore. We're gonna be working on a music video in France..."  
  
"So? What's so big? We've come with you a lot of times to your sets."  
  
"There's gonna be a photo shoot there, & I want him to be with me."  
  
"At the shoot?"  
  
"No. IN it."  
  
"This will be for what? A magazine?"  
  
"Yeah. A reporter is coming along to do a story while we film the music video. And a film crew might be doing a documentary, a 'behind-the-scenes with Bad Luck' type thing."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"He's 15 now, & he wants to go. I've already told him about it. He goes to public school, & can go on sleepovers & all that normal kid stuff; he wants to try something different for once. This one thing won't be bad. Its not like it will be for every shoot. Just one."  
  
"I guess so. But just this once."  
  
*~*  
  
So, as it turns out, the photo shoot for the magazine & the filming for the documentary did as I thought it would & brought A LOT of attention to Kiku. Hell, the media hadn't really seen him since he was about 9 or ten, so he had changed quite a bit. I should've known better than to give in to Shuichi & Kiku... they're always wrong about these kinds of things.  
  
Some of Kiku's friends didn't even know that he was our son until after that. Since 'Yuki Eiri' is just a penname, Kiku was enrolled in school as Uesugi Kiku, my actual family name. Shuichi & I figured it would be best since no one would recognize that name unlike 'Shindou' & 'Yuki'. Plus, Kiku's friends rarely if ever came to our house; he was usually the one going to theirs. It was a shock to them when they read their magazines & flipped through the channels on the TV & saw their friend. Apparently, they hadn't realized that 'Papa' & 'Dad' were 2 different people, they just thought that Kiku's father changed his attitude a lot. And with the way that Kiku gets, the same way that Shuichi gets, talking a mile a minute & rambling away when he's happy, Kiku's friends probably have to partially tune him out or simply can't understand what he's talking about.  
  
The media loved the energetic, "Mini-Shuichi" even though he was occasionally bad-tempered... -_-; It was no real surprise though; I knew that everyone would love him, it was the same with Shuichi, & Kiku was a cute kid. Dark eyes & platinum blonde hair, he had recently become very interested in dying his hair & without my knowledge or permission, Shuichi took him to get red streaks in his hair. His teachers at school didn't appreciate it too much at first, but they let it slide after a while because he was a good student & a nice kid.  
  
*~*  
  
Kiku walked in after school one day & flopped onto the couch with a sigh.  
  
"Kiku? Something wrong?" Shuichi asked.  
  
"Not really. Its just some girls in my school won't leave me alone."  
  
"Oh? What do you mean?"  
  
"One of them likes me & her friends keep bugging me to go out with her."  
  
"Why don't you?"  
  
"Because, I don't like her."  
  
"Don't you think you should give her a chance? Do you ever talk to her?"  
  
"No. 'Cuz then she'd think I like her."  
  
"Well then how do you know that you wouldn't like her if you got to know her? You're almost 17, why don't you get a girlfriend?"  
  
"Cuz I don't want a girlfriend, Papa. I've told those dumb girls that so many times & they don't seem to get the point. I hate stupid girls like that," He got up & got some Pocky* from the cupboard & changed the subject. "So, can I go see a movie with my friends on Saturday?"  
  
*[It's Shuichi's favourite snack, he eats it a few times throughout the manga & anime. They're long sticks, kinda like biscuits I guess, & they're covered in chocolate, or strawberry or a bunch of different flavours... SO YUMMY! I love Pocky! Anyway, back to the story.]  
  
"Which one are you going to see?"  
  
"I don't know. We're just gonna go & figure it out when we get to the theatre I guess. Can I go?"  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Awesome. Thanks!" Kiku hugged him.  
  
*~*  
  
Shuichi was always the more huggable one; I'm not really one for all of that mushy type stuff. Those 2 were really close. They had a lot in common. I'd say that Kiku definitely took after Shuichi, but that's not to say that Kiku didn't have some things in common with me as well. Writing, for one thing. He could be rather moody towards classmates that ticked him off too. Unfortunately, another thing he picked up from me was smoking.  
  
Shuichi flipped when he found out. I had been noticing that my smokes had been disappearing & I had mentioned it to Shuichi, & not long after he confronted Kiku about it. He was grounded no doubt; he was only 16, and fortunately, he actually quit. Something I have never been able to do. Kiku really was a good kid. And like I said before, he hated letting us down, or disappointing us, me especially.  
  
Seeing how much Kiku seemed to act like Shuichi & I, got me a little worried. Especially after Shuichi told me about Kiku's issue with those girls at school. I can't blame the kid, I hate women like that too, I come across them almost everyday. But it started me wondering if he maybe followed our example in another area as well. His cell phone would ring constantly but he never really went out with girls as far as we know... just the ones that were his friends since he was little,  
  
*~*  
  
"Dad. Can I talk to you about something?"  
  
Those weren't words I really heard very often. I stopped my writing & looked over at him. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing really, I've just been thinking a lot lately... I don't really know what to do when I'm done school. What did you do?"  
  
"I wrote." I smiled. "I went to university & began writing novels."  
  
"It must be nice to know what you want... I'm just so confused. I don't know what I want."  
  
"You've got time to think about it. What are you doing for graduation? It's coming pretty soon, huh?"  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Eh?" I didn't like that sneaky look in his eye. He was planning something again... or maybe he's already planned it, & now is just stuck on how to let me know.  
  
"I was wondering if I could have a great big party here. We've got lots of room."  
  
"No way."  
  
"But you can't say no! I already told all my friends that they could come!"  
  
Yup. There it is. I knew it. "Forget it. I have enough trouble with Shuichi & all those work parties he throws... damn rockers... I can put up with it because I at least know those people. I've never even met your friends,"  
  
"But you've never wanted to! And what greater chance is there to meet them than in the safety of your own home!" Kiku countered.  
  
"I said 'no'."  
  
Uh oh. Here comes that 'Shuichi Determination'. Sometimes I swear that they actually are related. Kiku looks so much like him when he's like this. It's scary. He clasps his hands tightly, drops to his knees & begs me. To be honest... I think THIS is a little scarier. At least he's enough like me not to sob & throw a tantrum like Shuichi does when he wants his way. "PLEASE!!!"  
  
"No."  
  
"PLEEASE!!!"  
  
"No."  
  
"PLEEEASE!!!"  
  
"No."  
  
"PLEEEEEASE!!!"  
  
"FINE! God! I can't take that aggravating noise in my ears!"  
  
"I know." He hopped back up onto his feet & smiled.  
  
That little brat... "Shuichi spoils you too much."  
  
"No Dad, you do."  
  
"Yeah right! I don't take you on any trips to France or Italy or Hong Kong or Brazil!"  
  
"Well... you always come along & go site seeing with me when Papa's working. And you DID take me to New York a few times..."  
  
I glared at him. I hate when that kid's right. He wins more arguments than I care to admit. Damn, he's quick.  
  
"And you always let me go out whenever I want... &-"  
  
"Enough. Do you want to have your party in this house or not?" I threatened.  
  
"Okay." He said. "Thank you! Grad is gonna be awesome!"  
  
A house full of 17 & 18 year olds...it's going to be hell.  
  
*~*  
  
A house full of 17 & 18 year olds... it's hell. Yelling, shouting, singing flat along to songs worse than Shuichi does when he's drunk. PURE TORTURE. Shuichi thought it was great... I hated it.  
  
"Yuki! Yuki! Yuki! Isn't this great?!"  
  
"No."  
  
"Sure it is! You should go see it down there! It's crazy! Kiku has LOTS of girls just HANGING off him."  
  
"He would. It's his huge house, his 'great' party, the girls are drunk, & he's got the keys to all the bedrooms."  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"You're so naïve." I shook my head. Was it REALLY so hard to figure out? Was he NEVER a teenager?  
  
"You should go down there & say hi."  
  
"Please tell me that nobody saw you."  
  
"They didn't, honest." Shuichi crossed his heart. "Why would that matter, though?"  
  
"Because it's your son's post graduation party! He's already graduated high school, do you know what that means?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"You're old!"  
  
"I'm younger than you!"  
  
"But you're not 17! You're old!" Oh crap. He's crying again. What kind of a man cries so much? Seriously. Only Shuichi... "Oh shut-up, you know I don't mean it."  
  
"Then why did you say it?" He whimpered.  
  
"Listen, I'm sorry."  
  
"Good. I'm gonna go see if he needs anything." Shuichi was instantly cheery again,  
  
*~*  
  
Talk about frustrating. Do they both have to guilt & manipulate me into getting their way? And what's even more annoying is the fact that Kiku said that he's doing this so we could finally meet his friends & see what kinda freaks he hangs out with & guess what? I haven't seen a single person. What about all of these friends of his? He's still going to keep them secrets? Is he embarrassed, maybe?  
  
*~* TBC... I'll update soon. Next part will start from Kiku's POV, at the party & go on from there. Ja ne! 


	2. Chapter 2

Can you believe that guy? I'm 21 years old now & my dad STILL calls me brat. Oh well, some things never change I guess. I suppose I should introduce myself, my name is Uesugi Kiku. I'm adopted, I don't know who my birth parents are, but I am the only son of the high profile couple Yuki Eiri & Shindou Shuichi. Having a best-selling author & a popular rock star as parents, & considering they're both men, you can probably guess that I had a little different than usual upbringing, & I'm more than a little spoiled. I know it, but I try not to show it & just live as normal a life as always. Over the years, I'll admit, that I've definitely perfected the art of manipulating my parents... Especially Dad. It's something to be proud of & not at the same time. Papa is like a teddy bear, give him some hugs & he's fine to let you do what you want. But Dad, is an all-together different case, he's tough to break, & won't relent usually on his decisions. Dad is kinda like... one of those bears you see on the nature channel that go all mean & stuff when the cameras get to close to its cubs. Actually, that's exactly what he's like, literally. But, like I said, I still have my special way with him... in other words, I've got my dad wrapped around my little finger. Gotta love them! ^__^ So anyway, I guess you want to know what happened at my grad party, huh? Seeing as how that's where my Dad stopped writing. I'll tell you what happened! I'm visiting right now, it's Papa's birthday, & I'm here to surprise him. I just finished college in America & he doesn't know I'm back home yet. So I'm just waiting in Dad's study... & snooping a little... Yup. Some things never change...  
  
*~*  
  
"Kiku!" One of my best friends, Daisuke, stumbled over & half leaned, half fell on my shoulder, I had a feeling that if I took a step to the right, Daisuke would fall flat on the ground, to drunk to stand on his own. "Awesome party, man!"  
  
"Thanks." I laughed. Looking around the room, I began to wonder if I was the only one still sober. Propping Daisuki against the wall, I slid away & was going to open a window to get some fresh air when another person began calling my name.  
  
"Kiku!" A girl with short black hair called, "Hi." She smiled sweetly.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I need to get some fresh air."  
  
"Yeah. It's pretty hot in here isn't it?"  
  
"Yup." I replied. "... Would you like to come with me?"  
  
"Sure! I'd love to!" We walked out onto the upstairs balcony. "You have a really nice house. It's so big. Are your parents rich or something?"  
  
"You don't know who my parents are?"  
  
"No. Do they work at the school or something?"  
  
I laughed. "Ha! Seriously? You've got to be kidding me. I thought everyone knew."  
  
"Well, I've heard stories... but I didn't know if they were true or not." The girl replied.  
  
"What kind of stories?"  
  
"You're going to think it's strange. It's such an odd rumour." She blushed. "Someone told me that your parents were Yuki Eiri & Shindou Shuichi."  
  
"Yeah, and?"  
  
"They were being serious?" She blinked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I had no idea!" She gasped & gave a little laugh. "Oh wait! I remember seeing you in the news a couple of times & on the TV & in the magazines a few years ago. It makes sense, now!"  
  
"Do you think it's weird?" I asked her.  
  
"No. I think it's kinda cool. That explains why you live in such a nice house. So, did you get to hang out with all those rock stars when you were a kid?"  
  
"Yeah, They still all come over all the time. Hiro & Ryuichi are all like uncles to me. And Seguchi Tohma & Suguru ARE my uncles, one's married to my dad's sister, & the other to my Papa's sister so I see them & my cousins every once in a while too."  
  
[A.N. Sorry, hehehe. I figured not as many people would understand that part just above. Tohma is obviously married to Mika. And I pretended just for no real reason at all except for another fic I wrote b4, that Suguru is now married to Shuichi's little sister, Maiko. Just FYI!]  
  
"So, which one's your father?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Whose son are you really? Yuki's?"  
  
"N-no, they're both my parents. I'm adopted." I stuttered.  
  
"Well then, what do you call them? Do you just call them by their names? What do you call Yuki Eiri?"  
  
"Dad."  
  
"Then what about Shuichi?"  
  
"Papa."  
  
"Ahh, I see. I always thought you were talking about the same person." The girl said. "Why is your name Uesugi, then?"  
  
"It's my dad's real name, they used it to enrol me in school so that I wasn't bugged by people."  
  
"So, your parents... are they like, a REAL couple? Or is that just a rumour too?"  
  
"Well, if they're not, then I'd sure be the last to know." I laughed. "I mean, yeah. They've been together since before I was around."  
  
"But do they ever... kiss? Have you ever seen them?"  
  
"Yeah. Good night & stuff."  
  
"Do they love each other?"  
  
"Of course!" I tried not to get to defensive, but this was starting to insult me. "Can we PLEASE talk about something else? This really isn't anyone else's business other than my family's."  
  
"Sorry." The girl blushed. "I didn't mean to be rude."  
  
"It's ok. I should be used to it. People react like that all then time when they find out." I smiled, "Do you want a tour?"  
  
"Of your house? Really?! That would be amazing!" She smiled brightly, grabbing onto his arm.  
  
I blinked. The only girls I ever let act like this were the ones that I'd known for a long time, the ones I was close with. I hardly knew this girl.  
  
I showed her all around my house, trying to avoid running into Papa or Dad. As we got up to the living room, I could smell smoke. I went around the corner & took the cigarette from Dad's mouth & threw it in a glass of water on the coffee table. "What about your new years resolution? You promised that you wouldn't smoke."  
  
"I promised that I'd quit. Just cause I haven't yet doesn't mean that I won't. I just was taking a break from writing. What are you doing up here, anyway?" Dad asked.  
  
"Showing someone around the house."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Hello." The girl smiled shyly. "It's nice to meet you. I read all your books."  
  
"Well then, thank you."  
  
"We should keep on our way, there's lots of house left to go." As I left I turned back to Dad & saw him give me a 'Who's that girl?' look. I just shrugged my shoulders because I still didn't know her name.  
  
We bumped into Papa in the kitchen, making juice. "Hello! How are you?!" Papa was ecstatic to meet the girl. "I'm Shindou Shuichi. Has Kiku told you about me?"  
  
"Oh yes. I already know about you though, I have all of Bad Luck's CDs! I'm a fan!"  
  
She's a fan of them both? I wondered. "Let's keep going, we'll come back again later." I led the girl around more of the house.  
  
"Where's your room?" She asked.  
  
"My room?" This was probably just an innocent question, but I couldn't help but feel like I was in a movie.  
  
"Yeah. Could I see it? Isn't that all that's left to see?"  
  
"Um... yeah. It's this way." I led her down the hall to my room & opened the door. "It might be a little messy. I can't remember if I cleaned it or not." I rubbed the back of my head & laughed a little.  
  
"Oh wow! You have a balcony in your room too! You're so lucky! I'd love to have one in my room, I'd feel like Juliet!" She ran out again. It's such a beautiful night. I can't believe we've finally graduated, can you?"  
  
"I know what you mean, it seems surreal almost, doesn't it?" I followed her out.  
  
"Yeah." She replied. "Your parents are nice. Why did we have to leave so quickly?"  
  
"Well, you know parents, if you're with them for too long they're bound to do something embarrassing..." I thought immediately of Papa.  
  
"Are you ashamed of them or something?"  
  
"No. It's just, none of my friends have ever really met them before..."  
  
"Why not? You never had friends over to the house or anything?"  
  
"Well, not really, they were afraid of my friends' parents not liking the fact that I had 2 dads."  
  
"Oh. I see." She smiled. "Well then, why now? How come you're having this huge party with our entire graduating class?"  
  
"I kinda didn't tell them until about a week & ½ ago... so my dad couldn't do anything about it." I laughed a little & blushed with embarrassment. "I know, it's not very mature, huh?"  
  
"That's ok." She giggled. "You sure seem to have your way with them. Do you get anything you want?"  
  
"Well, not all the time. I guess I am spoiled though, how many guys my age have been able to travel all around the world?"  
  
"You don't act like a rich kid, though. You don't act like you're spoiled."  
  
"Well, I guess that's a good thing."  
  
"Isn't it nice out here?"  
  
"Yeah. I come out here a lot at nighttime. I love how peaceful it is when everyone else is asleep."  
  
"Yeah, me too. Say... Kiku... do you ever wish you could meet your real parents?"  
  
"I used to wonder what they looked like, or if I had any siblings... I suppose I still do, but I'm not in any rush to meet the people who abandoned me. I'm happy here with my family."  
  
"I see." She smiled. "You're a mystery Kiku, you really are. I've seen you all around school & it seems that you're always someone new. I'm so glad I finally got to talk to you, I've learned so much now."  
  
"Sorry if I've been talking too much. I usually don't talk so much about myself, it's embarrassing." I blushed & looked up at the stars. "It's just that I've never told anyone all of this before."  
  
"It's alright. I don't mind."  
  
"But what about you? I don't know anything about you."  
  
"What do you want to know?"  
  
"Well, your name for the start."  
  
"My name?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"It's anything you want it to be." She laughed; grabbing my hand & tugging me playfully back inside.  
  
"No, come on. Seriously, what is it?" I laughed.  
  
"You'll just have to find out on your own." She winked.  
  
"But I've only seen you around school about 4 times in the 3 years I've been there. And now that school is over, how am I supposed to find you?"  
  
"Would you want to see me again?"  
  
"Sure. Why not?"  
  
"You really want to know my name?" She asked again.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Alright then. But you have to do something for me first. Sit down, & close your eyes."  
  
"What?" I didn't understand how that had anything to do with learning her name.  
  
"Just do it, please?" She smiled.  
  
"Okay..." This seemed more than a little weird. This girl was definitely different; I sat down on the edge of my bed & closed my eyes as I was told to. "Now what?"  
  
"Relax." She kissed me.  
  
My eyes shot open in shock. I hadn't been expecting her to kiss me! In fact, I had never kissed a girl before. I'd never even been on a date! I had a tendency to push girls away from me before ever getting to know them well enough. & I didn't even know anything about this girl.  
  
So, I finally knew what all the fuss was about kissing. But still... this felt wrong. "Wait." I pulled away.  
  
"What's the matter?"  
  
"This doesn't seem right."  
  
"Don't worry. It's not like we'll get caught." She grinned. The girl began kissing me again, wrapping her thin arms around my neck, pulling me back over her onto my bed. Her mouth tickled as she kissed my neck.  
  
"Stop! Wait, what are you doing?" I pulled away again. "I don't even know your name. I didn't know THIS was what you wanted me to do!"  
  
"My name doesn't matter. Come on."  
  
"Stop it!" I got off my bed & stood up.  
  
"Isn't this what you wanted? Why else would you bring me to your bedroom?"  
  
"You asked to see it!"  
  
"Relax. Don't be so nervous. It's alright." The girl pulled on my arm to make me sit again.  
  
"It's just that... I-"  
  
"What? You don't like girls or something?"  
  
"Well, I-"  
  
"Ha! I KNEW it! I knew you were gay! Like fathers like son!" She laughed. "Namie (Nah-mee-eh) & Maria owe me 20 bucks each!" The girl announced triumphantly.  
  
"What?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My classmates were actually making bets on if I liked girls or guys? That was the worst thing anyone had ever done to me. Namie was the girl that liked me so much last year & now that I thought more about it, this girl was one of her annoying friends. Kisa was her name, Maria being the other friend. It took me a few moments to really let it sink in. Then I got mad. "Get out of my house." I said in a low voice as my rage slowly built.  
  
"Chill out. Its not the end of the world."  
  
"Now. Get out of my house, now."  
  
"Come on! This is a great discovery! Besides, just think, if I pass it around to some people, you could have dozens of guys lined up at your door just begging for dates!"  
  
"Shut the hell up! That's not what I want!"  
  
"Ohh. I see. You already HAVE a boyfriend, don't you?" Kisa said. "Who is it? Tell me. It's Daisuke, isn't it?"  
  
That was it. It was one thing for her to say such things about me. It was a complete other story when it involved my best friends.  
  
"No! Get out! I want you out of my house & off my property in 2 minutes! Your friends too! And if I ever see any of your faces again or hear any rumours such as these, I promise, I will make you regret it, Kisa."  
  
Okay, so maybe it was a little harsh of a threat. But she deserved it none- the-less. I still think she deserved way worse than what I told her. Those girls were always spreading awful rumours like that.  
  
Needless to say, she was out of there with those 2 other girls pretty damn fast. I went back down to the party & pretended that nothing had happened to the best of my ability. I blew it off by dancing & drinking with my friends. Even some of my cousins were there, so I didn't feel so alone at my own party, wondering what people thought & believed about me... What my friends thought...  
  
*~*  
  
It wasn't until the next morning that I went to sleep, & not until that afternoon that I woke up again. I looked around & my basement was a complete mess. Littered with beer cans & bottles of vodka, kahlua, tequila & almost any liquor under the sun, as well as the passed out bodies of classmates. As I stumbled to my feet & made my way through the maze of bodies I could hear someone getting sick in the bathroom. The sound nauseated me & I rushed to get away sooner, praying that whoever it was, had been sober enough to make sure the lid of the toilet seat was up. I did NOT want to have to clean that mess up.  
  
"Kiku... that was an awesome party..." Daisuke slowly got up as I walked past him. A few of my other close friends were awake as well so the 5 of us went upstairs.  
  
Well all slumped around the kitchen table, yelling at each other whenever one of us spoke to loud, hurting our heads from our huge hangovers, and then yelling more at whoever yelled. The 5 of us eventually gave in & all shut up, content with the quiet kitchen.  
  
"Kiku..." Miyako whispered. She was one of the few girls in my circle of friends. She had really pale blonde hair, just like me, without my red streaks, & light green eyes. I had always felt comfortable with her because she understood what it was like to have parents that were outside the common standard. Her mother had only been 16 when she was born & was used to getting those shocked or even disgusted reactions when people found out.  
  
"What?" I whispered back. She was sitting right next to me.  
  
"Who was it?"  
  
"Who was who?"  
  
"That gave you that!" She whispered again, pointing to my neck.  
  
"Eh?" I obviously couldn't see what she was pointing to.  
  
We had attracted the attention of the rest of our friends at the table. "Kiku has a hickey!"  
  
"Eh?" I blinked. "Damn that bitch!"  
  
My friends all stared in shock. I usually didn't use bad language; they knew this was a special situation. "Who was it?"  
  
"Not important."  
  
"You can tell us! We're your friends."  
  
"She's nothing. Just someone I want to forget ok? Not a good person, lets just leave it at that." I was embarrassed. I had been used & I hated it. What I hated even more was that I wasn't sure if she was right or not. How could Kisa have won that bet if I wasn't even sure. Was the only reason I pushed her away because I didn't know her very well?  
  
"Okay..." Daisuke, who was sitting on the other side of me said. "Are you okay?" He put his hand on my shoulder as I sat with my head resting in my folded arms on the table. I immediately flinched away when he touched me like he had been made of fire. "Sorry." Daisuke apologized.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's ok." I apologized, feeling like a first-class jerk. "I'm just really hung over."  
  
"I don't think I've ever seen you drink before."  
  
"It's cuz I don't." I moaned.  
  
"GOOD MORNING!"  
  
"PAPA!" I groaned & we all held our throbbing heads. "Ow..."  
  
"Although, it's not really morning... it's 3:30." Papa smiled brightly.  
  
I self-consciously covered they purplish mark on my neck with my hand as he walked by. "Papa... please keep it down... our heads." I pleaded.  
  
"Ohh. I see... I'll go make some coffee."  
  
"Thanks!" I sighed.  
  
"I don't think I've ever met your papa before." My friend Kamui said.  
  
"Really? I thought you had." I blinked.  
  
"I haven't either." Shoji said.  
  
"Heh. I'll have to introduce you then."  
  
"You know who I still have yet to meet? Your dad." Miyako nodded. The other 2 boys agreed that they had never met him.  
  
"I met him once... when we were little. How come we never see him?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"He pretty much stays in his study & works all day." I explained. "He's not very sociable."  
  
"Ohhh."  
  
"Here you go!" Papa came bubbling in with some hot coffee & 5 mugs.  
  
"Uhn!" Was the collective sound we all made in reply. He doesn't remember things very well all the time... his natural cheeriness was at an all time high that morning... err.. Um.. Afternoon. ^_^;  
  
"Papa, this is Kamui & Shoji. They're 2 of my friends you've never met."  
  
"Hello." Papa smiled brightly, Definitely too cheery for his own good... who could be so happy when their only son was in so much pain? "It's nice to meet you both. I've heard about you. Hello, Daisuke, Miyako."  
  
"Hello." They all replied.  
  
Then the never-before happened. Dad came out to get coffee too & my friends finally saw him in person. "Dad. Come meet my friends." I introduced them all.  
  
"Nice to meet you." He said & went into the kitchen to pour his coffee.  
  
"There. Now you've finally met my dad." I smiled. "He pretty much keeps to himself."  
  
"Oi, Kiku." Dad came back out of the kitchen. "What happened to that girl that you were with yesterday? The one with the short black hair."  
  
"She went home last night." I replied, trying not to blush.  
  
"Ah." He nodded & walked back to his study to keep writing.  
  
"Why?" Papa asked as he sipped from his oversized mug.  
  
"She had to go home. She couldn't stay here any longer."  
  
"What was her name?"  
  
I felt like dying. I didn't want my friends to know it was Kisa. I didn't want them to think that I'd sink that low intentionally. "I'll tell you later."  
  
"Is something wrong?" Papa asked.  
  
"I said I'll tell you later!" I shouted.  
  
"Kiku!" Great. Just great. I had succeeded in getting Papa mad. Something that only happened once in a blue moon.  
  
I went into the kitchen to talk to him, away from my friends. "Papa, I'm sorry. I'm just a little moody right now. I'd rather tell you about it later, okay. I don't want to say anything in front of them. Can I just wait until everyone leaves?"  
  
"Ok." Papa smiled. "That's fine." He gave me a much-needed hug.  
  
"Thanks, Papa."  
  
*~*  
  
After everyone left, & the basement was clean again, I sat down with my parents to talk to them. But instead I avoided Kisa by dropping an even bigger bomb on them. "I'm going to Julliard to study Liberal Arts in the fall. I'm moving to New York. I just thought I should tell you now, because I'm the Valedictorian for my graduating class, & at the ceremony tomorrow, it will no doubt be mentioned... and I want you both to be there."  
  
*~*  
  
So, needless to say, they were pretty shocked. I hadn't told them that I was chosen to be Valedictorian & I had kept my decision to go to Julliard a secret for so long, I didn't know how to tell them. I just hoped that they would understand, & they did. And, in sunglasses they both showed up for my ceremony & speech. It was pretty obvious to me & the others up there with me, that Papa was crying, It's no real surprise, he cries all the time. And even though dad kept his sunglasses on the whole time, I know he was very proud of me, & maybe he cried a little too. I knew I could always count on them.  
  
*~*  
  
Oh my gosh! Papa's home! That means that Dad will be coming in here any moment to reveal our surprise... me! Crap! Where did all this stuff go?! Son of a-! I'll just stuff it in this bottom drawer for now. I'll see you all around, ok? I've got to go to the party now, but I've got another secret to tell you a little later... so check back with me then. Jaa!  
  
*~*  
  
TBC... it's gonna continue from either during or after the party from Kiku's POV still.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*~* 


	3. Chapter 3

You see? I told you I'd be back for more! You people... you just can't get enough of me, can you? Tsk. Tsk. Don't you know that I'm taken? Oh right, you don't. ^_^; That's my new surprise. Only me & that 1 other person know that... or, well, USED to know that. Don't tell my parents yet! I'm having a hard enough time trying to figure out how to break it to them, I just need a little more time... so for now, I'm just gonna kick back & enjoy my Papa's birthday party. Here he comes!  
  
*~*  
  
Yuki covered Shuichi's eyes as he led him through the house & to his study. "I have a surprise for you."  
  
"Really?! What is it Yuki?!" Shuichi squirmed a little as he walked, trying to peek through Yuki's hands.  
  
"You'll see." Yuki smiled, it was easiest for him to smile when Shuichi couldn't see him even now, after so many years. "Ready?" He asked.  
  
"YES!"  
  
"Alright, now." Yuki lifted his hands & Shuichi blinked.  
  
He kept looking around Yuki's study, wondering what was supposed to be his surprise. "Yuki... I don't see anything. What am I supposed to be seeing here?"  
  
"Me!" I sprung up from behind the desk. "Happy Birthday Papa!!!"  
  
"Kiku!" Papa gasped.  
  
I hopped over the desk, making Dad wince as I just barely missed knocking over the computer. "I'm home!" I gave Papa a big hug.  
  
"I didn't think you were supposed to be done until the summer!"  
  
"I finished early, I went to classes in the summer instead of taking it off for my break. That's why I wasn't able to visit." I explained.  
  
"I'm so glad you're home!" Papa hugged me again. "How long have you been in town?"  
  
"About a week or so."  
  
"You knew about this?" Papa asked Dad.  
  
"Yeah." He nodded. Papa hugged him.  
  
"Where have you been staying?"  
  
I blinked & blushed a little. I was caught off guard by the question. "Um... just at... a friend's house." I wasn't ready to tell them yet... not right before the party started.  
  
"Ohh."  
  
"Come on Papa! Dad & I still have one more surprise for you!" I grabbed his arm & dragged him from the room & into the dark living room. I flicked on the lights & all of Papa's friends shouted  
  
"Surprise!"  
  
"Ta-Da!" I smiled brightly. "Are you surprised?"  
  
"Of course!" Papa laughed.  
  
"I hope you don't mind that you're gonna have to share your Birthday Party with Kiku as his Welcome Home party." Dad said.  
  
"Not at all!"  
  
"Shu-chan!" Ryuichi ran from in the crowd & leapt, tackling Papa to the ground. "Happy Birthday na no da!"  
  
Dad sweat-dropped & stepped around them to stand beside me. "Kiku, What are they saying?"  
  
I sighed. It's almost kind of sad that I understand their gibberish. Oh well, at least I can say that I'm trilingual on my resume. Japanese, English & Hyper-Active Rock star. "Ryuichi is asking him if he's surprised to see everyone. And Papa is telling him that he had no idea that there'd be a party for him or that I'd be able to make it home in time. And then-"  
  
Papa stopped me by putting his hand on my shoulder. "Thank you. Considering that Ryuichi has started using the words 'pika-pika!' I don't think I want to know any more."  
  
"Yeah." I agreed.  
  
"Kiiikuuu!" A girl's high voice squealed.  
  
"Huh?" I turned just in time to be caught by the arm & dragged to the other side of the room. It was my equivalent to Ryuichi; Saki, his daughter. She was 23, a few years older than me; the product of one of Ryuichi's relationships while he was in the U.S. with K. Saki didn't even come live with Ryuichi until she was 5 or 6, when her mother got sick. Before then, not even Ryuichi had known he had a daughter. She sat me down with her & pushed her long wavy auburn hair back over her shoulders & straightened her yellow miniskirt. "Saki?" I blinked.  
  
"It's been so long! I'm so glad you're back home!" She smiled & gave me a big hug.  
  
"What do you mean 'It's been so long'? You saw me just before the party..."  
  
"Yeah, but we didn't get to talk that much. It's been a long time since today."  
  
"You picked me up at the airport..." I grinned.  
  
"But you were so tired, we didn't get to talk. I've hardly seen you for the past 3 ½ years."  
  
"More than most people... you came to visit me a few times in New York."  
  
"Don't let my dad know that!" She whispered. "He still thinks that I went on camping trips with my friends. He loves New York, he'd be so upset if he found out I went & didn't take with me."  
  
I laughed. "No problem."  
  
"Thank goodness!" She sighed.  
  
Some of my cousins came over & sat down with us. "How was it in New York?"  
  
"New York was a blast. I miss it already. I met so many people there."  
  
"What was your roommate like?"  
  
"His name was Shane. He's majoring in Dance."  
  
"Really?" My cousin, Hana asked. She was 18, & had short, strawberry blonde hair. "Was he hot?" And she was a little boy crazy.  
  
I blushed bright red. "Um..."  
  
"Hana!" Her twin brother, Ken'ichi, Ken for short, smacked her arm. "Don't ask such things! It's embarrassing. Sorry." He apologized to me for her.  
  
"It's ok." I laughed. "He was a really nice guy. He promised to come visit here sometime."  
  
"He was hot." Saki answered Hana's question. "He's a really good dancer too."  
  
"You met him?" Aki asked her. He had scruffy red hair & as you probably guess, he was Hiro & Ayaka's son.  
  
"Yup. I went to visit there once." It was more than once but she didn't want her dad to find out. "Don't you have pictures of your friends?" She asked, tugging on my sleeve.  
  
"Oh yeah." I pulled out my wallet & showed them my pictures.  
  
"Aw! You even have the pictures from that little photo booth that we went to!" She squealed.  
  
"Well, you did threaten me to never take them out..." I laughed.  
  
*~*  
  
Its like I live in 2 different worlds, the first is just my 'normal' life; school, movies, jobs & my friends like Daisuke & Miyako. My second life though, consists of wild parties, clubs, bars, raves, anything we could sneak into & everything we could get away with doing. That life involves Hana, Ken, their older sister Mina, Aki, & of course, Saki. It was also the life that I definitely kept hidden from my parents, classmates & the press. I never drank, & I never had a girlfriend, but that doesn't mean that I stayed out of trouble. I'm lucky that the worst I ever got caught for was smoking cigarettes... I'm past that all now, though. It was just basic rebellion from the children of rock stars. My younger cousins are starting it now too, I can tell. We've all done it, but it all started with Saki & I.  
  
Saki is a nice girl. The first one I ever really became friends with. Even with Miyako, it took a while because she was kind of a bully when we were little. Saki was a few years older than me, but she didn't treat me like I was younger or like she knew more than I did, mainly because she didn't. She didn't know Japanese until she moved here, so even though she was older, we were both learning the same sort of things at the same time. The first time I ever met her, was probably a few weeks after she first moved to Tokyo. She didn't know how to say much, but she was so happy to have someone to play with that she didn't care, she just grabbed my hand & dragged me off to play hide and go seek... a lot like she still does. I think its pretty safe to say, that I was her first friend, & that she was mine.  
  
*~*  
  
I spent most of the night either talking with Aki, my cousins, & Saki, or being hugged & clung to Papa who missed me so much. I fell kind of bad that I went away for so long & hardly visited... I know he must have been upset after I left. To tell the truth, I missed him & Dad a lot too. It was driving me nuts, being home for a week & not seeing Papa. I was glad to be able to give him lots of hugs.  
  
I'm a lot like him, its true what they say, that you are your parents. No matter how hard you may try to avoid turning out like them, in the end you are, just the same. I'm like dad too. Which seems strange considering that he & Papa are complete opposites...  
  
I worry sometimes... I'm always so afraid that I'm letting them down. It seems like no matter what I do, I always do something wrong... but they're just too nice to tell me it hurts them. Like how I've always tried really hard in school, no matter what. I had trouble in math, so I got tutored at lunch, I joined all sorts of clubs & was on the soccer team & the basketball team, I was even in a few school plays throughout school, I was elected valedictorian & got accepted to Julliard... but I did all this & didn't even tell them. I always wanted to surprise them with all of these things that I did, but I never could find the right moment, & it was always left too late. It must've hurt them too find out all these things so late, made them feel like they didn't know their own son. But I never intended these things to turn out like this, big surprises that just kinda erupt like volcanoes when they've been concealed too long. It's just like now... I have to find a way to tell them my next secret.  
  
I'm scared... I always feel like I disappoint them when I do this, but everything happens so fast. I had no idea that I would end up falling in love with someone like "that". I wasn't even looking for a relationship. All I can do is hope that they can accept & understand what I'm about to tell them... I think I'll tell them tomorrow.  
  
*~*  
  
I shuffled underneath more blankets & cuddled up closer to the older man beside me. I was worried still, but I could relax more in the comfortable bed, I didn't have to tell my parents yet, & I was thankful for that.  
  
"What time did you get in?"  
  
"About an 2 hours ago or so." I replied.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"It's 7:30. I had a pretty late night... Saki dragged me to all sorts of clubs." I smiled.  
  
"I thought you were staying at your friend's house?"  
  
"Would you rather I left? I didn't think you'd mind."  
  
"Of course not. Where's your Dad?"  
  
"He's writing I think... he doesn't know I'm here as far as I know." I replied. "Papa?.." I looked up at him.  
  
"Yes?" Papa asked.  
  
"I have to talk to you and Dad... it's kind of important."  
  
"How important?"  
  
"Kinda really important." I replied nervously.  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"No. I just have some news... that I don't know how you'll react too."  
  
Papa gave me a concerned look. "Well, then let's get up for now, you can tell us while your Dad's still awake."  
  
"Ok."  
  
*~*  
  
Okay, so right about here, I was just about ready to throw up. I know that sounds a little gross, but I was THAT nervous. This was really big, like when I went to America, except, this is something that I really wanted their permission & blessings for. I wasn't sure I could even go though with it if they didn't want me too.  
  
*~*  
  
"What's wrong, Kiku?" Dad came out of his office. I don't think I remember a week in my life where he didn't spend at least one night writing all night, & he as still going strong with a thousand & one ideas. He looked even a little worried when he came & sat down beside Papa on the couch. I was seated in the chair across from them.  
  
"It's not really that anything's wrong, per se... It's just-" I stopped & shifted uncomfortably in my soft chair. "I don't really know where to start."  
  
"It's ok, don't worry, just relax, Kiku." Papa smiled.  
  
I took a deep breath. "Well, Here goes! I'm in love."  
  
"O.. K.." Papa said slowly. Trying to figure out why I was so nervous.  
  
"Wait, there's more." I said. "We've been together for about the last 2 years or so, even though we knew each other before then... I've just never known how to tell you. You see, things are so different in college... everything was so overwhelming & everything always goes so fast that before I realized it, it had already started."  
  
"Who is this person?" Dad asked me.  
  
I swallowed. My mouth suddenly felt very dry & I would've killed for some water, anything to get me out of there for a few minutes. "Will you promise me that you won't be ashamed, or disappointed? If not for anything else, at least for the fact that I've kept such a big thing a secret for so long."  
  
"We could never be ashamed of you." Papa smiled. "Go ahead, who is it?"  
  
I closed my eyes for a moment while I thought of how to say it. I didn't want to just blurt out the name just like that. I felt I owed them an explanation as well. "It's Saki."  
  
"What?" Papa & Dad both blinked.  
  
"She came to visit me at Julliard, out of the blue one day. I had told her in an email once how much I missed everyone back home & the fun we used to have when we were kids. I said that New York was great & that she should visit there someday... so she showed up a few days later at my door. We just sort of clicked."  
  
I knew that they'd be shocked. It was why I was so nervous. I'd grown up with Saki; she'd been my friend almost all my life. And since Ryuichi had always been like an uncle to me, I guess we were always more like family than anything else, even though we weren't related at all. We were from different countries, Ryuichi & Papa weren't related; just friends, & on top of that I was adopted. Everyone just assumed that we'd be more like brother & sister than anything else. Well, they were wrong.  
  
"How many times did she visit you?" Dad asked. Papa was still recovering from the initial shock.  
  
"Over the 2 years since her first visit... it's probably been around 7 or 8 times." I admitted.  
  
"That many?" Papa asked.  
  
"Yeah. I know this wasn't really something that you or anyone else would expect, it surprised us too, but I love her. We're not the 'friends' that everyone always assumed that we'd be."  
  
"Well then, is she the one you've been living with?" Dad asked me.  
  
"Yes." That's not really something a guy ever wants to admit to his parents. Especially since I'm so used to keeping my private life so... well, private. "I know what you must be thinking..."  
  
"It's ok." Dad said. I blinked.  
  
"I'm glad that you're happy." Papa smiled. "I don't mind. Saki is a nice girl."  
  
I was so relieved. I was so glad that they didn't mind that we were boyfriend & girlfriend that I thought I could faint. But I was still forgetting one major detail.  
  
"But now that you've surprised me, you can come back home & live here, right?" Papa asked.  
  
"Well, actually..."  
  
"Are you moving back to New York?" Dad asked.  
  
"No. I'm staying here in Tokyo... but I'm not moving back home. I'm staying with Saki. I've asked her to marry me. We're engaged."  
  
This was what I was the most worried about. I was only 21 & Saki, only 23... my parents only just found out we were dating, never mind engaged. And I wasn't sure if Ryuichi knew yet even though we had both promised to tell our parents today.  
  
"Engaged?" Papa gasped. "You're getting married?"  
  
"That's what I wanted to talk about. We've agreed, that we won't get married if we don't have our parents' blessings. We'll wait if you don't think we should..." I told them. "... But we'll just wait, we won't call it off." A bold statement, I know. That's the other thing about my secrets; I always seem to spring them on people when it's too late for them to do anything about them. I'm a little too cocky & bold for my own good sometimes... its something I should work on.  
  
Papa looked over at dad, making some eye gesture that had a meaning that was hidden from me. He silently got up & left the room & I was left sitting awkwardly with dad in the living room, wondering what they were both thinking.  
  
"Dad?" He's always been the quiet one... he seems to enjoy letting people figure out how he feels on their own, he rarely says how he feels unless he's really mad or annoyed. So, I guess this is kind of a good sign... at least he's not furious that I kept the fact that I'm engaged to my childhood best friend a secret. ...I think.  
  
"When did you ask her? How long have you been engaged for?" Dad asked.  
  
"The 2nd day after I got back home. She picked me up at the airport & we spent the day together & I proposed the next day."  
  
"I see..." He said. "So, you were already engaged by the time I first talked to you." It was more of a statement than a question.  
  
No way. I didn't really think it was possible... but I think I may have hurt his feelings. I really did disappoint him this time. Papa too, he didn't even stay in the room. This was exactly what I feared would happen. "Dad... I just didn't want to say anything until I could tell you & Papa together. I'm sorry that I've let you down..." I looked at my hands that were folded in my lap. I couldn't bring myself to look in his eyes. "I'm such a screw-up, I know. I'm sorry. For you to not be able to have a child of your own with the person you love... & then to get me, who always messes things up. I should be better... I shouldn't be like this, causing you & Papa both so much grief." I squeezed my eyes closed tightly, wiping them with my sleeve before I started crying. What kind of a man cries? I felt so stupid.  
  
All of a sudden, I felt a hand grab my wrist & pull me off the chair & to my feet. The warm arms of Dad wrapped around me, it was rare that he hugged me, I wasn't very used to it, but I felt bit better. "Why do you say such things?" He asked me.  
  
"It's true, isn't it?"  
  
"No. Of course not."  
  
"Really?" I looked up at him, a hopeful smile starting on my lips. "But... then why did Papa leave without saying anything? HE'S disappointed."  
  
Dad sighed. "Let me enlighten you as to why your Papa left the room." With that he began walking, signalling that I was supposed to follow him.  
  
I peeked around the corner & could hear Papa squealing away with excitement & chattering poor Hiro's ear off on his phone. I was so relieved; I ran into the room & gave him a big hug. "Papa!"  
  
"You should go answer the door." Papa smiled down at me.  
  
"Eh?" I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but sure enough, about 10 seconds after he said it, I heard a knock at the door. I bounded from the room, seeing as we were on the opposite side of the house & ran to answer the door. I was so happy I felt like I was flying. Unfortunately, after tumbling down the last 5 stairs of our staircase I realized that wasn't true.  
  
"Kiku!" Saki wrapped her arms tightly around my neck & leapt into my arms. I barely caught her without falling to the ground. She kissed me even though Ryuichi & Uncle Tatsuha were standing right there. "I'm so happy!"  
  
I wrapped my arms around her waist & spun her around in circles. "What are you doing here?!" I laughed.  
  
"Your Papa called & said we need to come over & celebrate!" Her big blue eyes sparkled.  
  
Ryuichi bounded forward & it was pretty safe to assume that Papa had come. A familiar thud sound confirmed all suspicion. "Shu-chan! We're gonna have the same kids now na no da!"  
  
"Well, I guess that's one way of putting it." Papa said.  
  
Dad rubbed his temples... I could tell what he was thinking... 'It's too early for Sakuma Ryuichi.' Oh well, at least Uncle Tatsuha will be fun for him to talk too. Or... well... oh heck, it's only one day, I'm sure he'll survive. ^_^;  
  
*~*  
  
Thank you everyone for listening! I hope you've enjoyed hearing my story! And don't worry, Dad survived being surrounded by us all day long. I'll talk to you all sometime soon, but for now, I'm going to get some rest... Saki & I only got 2 hours of sleep by the time we got home from all of those bars last night, & with all that excitement today we're just about dead on our feet.  
  
"But not OFF them!"  
  
SAKI!!! O.O Oh my gosh... I can't believe she just said that... -_-; Well, I've really enjoyed meeting you all & I hope to get to talk to you again! I talk a little too much sometimes... but as long as you don't mind hearing my stories then it's all good, right? Good night!  
  
The End ? 


End file.
